Aguada, a municipality west of Puerto Rico and founded in 1692, was known at the time of the Spanish conquest as a water supply point for ships transiting between America and Europe, hence its name. However, this town is also known as 'El Pueblo Playero', 'The Vatican City', the 'Villa Sotomayor' and the 'Villa de San Francisco de Asís' the latter in reference to the patron saint of the people; and 'Por Aguada fue' in reference to the belief that it was by municipality of Aguada that Christopher Columbus arrived in Puerto Rico. The territorial extension of the municipality comprises approximately 30.21 square miles or 78 square kilometers. Its population, according to the 2000 census, is 42,042 watered. Aguada is divided into twenty neighborhoods: Asomante, Atalaya, Carrizal, Cerro Gordo, Cruces, Espinar, Guanábano, Guaniquilla, Guayabo, Jagaey, Lagunas, Mal Paso, Mamey, Marías, Naranjo, Piedras Blancas, Rio Grande and Aguada 'Pueblo'. The economy of the municipality, until a few decades ago, was mostly based on the cultivation and processing of sugar cane. In addition to farming farms, other economic activities such as livestock and timber production existed on the site. The Coloso plant operated as a sugar factory from 1875 to 2000. Today, the water economy is based on the development of small shops and a small number of factories with foreign capital.